Stephen Cooper

Like a Heat Wave

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Kept my mileage lower due to the Extreme Heat Watch. Got out early enough for it to not feel too bad. Wandered around different parts of downtown Memphis, including the new Memphis flyway.

Father's Day 2026

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A week on from the first June ride and about the same distance, but a different day: clear skies instead of clouds, high-80s humidity, and only a light southerly breeze. No tailwind to chase or fight this time — just a steady rhythm the whole way, and I felt good right to the end.

First June Ride

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The first half was fun. Then I realized it was due to a strong tailwind, so I had to fight it coming back.

My Top 10 Spielberg Movies

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(Banner created with AI collage tools, featuring iconic stills from the Spielberg filmography.)

My top three favorite directors have cemented their status over the years - Steven Spielberg, David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino. Of those three, who would have imagined that Spielberg remains the most prolific? Lynch passed away last year, Tarantino is still fighting his self-imposed 10-film limit. Yet this week, Spielberg, almost 80, is releasing Disclosure Day, his latest take on how humans are impacted when they encounter beings from another planet.

In honor of the new release, I thought I'd list my top 10 favorite Spielberg movies (like every other film enthusiast on the internet). These aren't necessarily his best films, just my personal preferences.

10. Saving Private Ryan - admittedly, it's been a while since I've seen this all the way through. However, many scenes have been burned into my memory since I first saw it - the nightmarish landing on Normandy beach, the knife fight between Mellish and the German soldier. It's still a film I tend to admire more than love, but still an unforgettable experience.

9. Jurassic Park - many Millennials may have this higher than me. The effects hold up way better than even more recent films with heavy CGI elements. It's got a great cast of characters and a few truly scary scenes (my favorite is when Nedry is confronted by the poisonous Dilophosaurus).

8. Catch Me If You Can - one of his most rewatchable films which includes some of my favorite performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Light and nimble, with an unusual John Williams score, it proves that Spielberg doesn't need aliens or dinosaurs to create a compelling work of art.

7. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - I love the Indiana Jones series, and the first three make an appearance in this list. The funniest one of the bunch with great chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery as Indiana's father. The series should have ended with this entry.

6. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - this one has taken some flak recently due to its depiction of South Asians and their culture, rightfully so. However, the action sequences in this movie are some of my favorites of all time, including the thrilling final 30 minutes of the film, complete with voodoo dolls, a minecart chase, and a tense standoff on a giant rope bridge.

5. Schindler's List - I've only seen this a few times, but I still remember my first viewing of it with my mom. One of the few times where an intermission was included, which was well-needed after some of the trauma we witnessed onscreen.

4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind - if I could include a small sample that illustrates the mastery of visuals, sound and emotion that Spielberg frequently demonstrates, I would almost always choose the final encounter between the humans and the aliens at Devil's Tower.

3. Jaws - The memorable characters, the suspenseful scenes, the dialogue! And this is one of his first films?? It established the modern blockbuster but plays as something much more complex than many films that came after it. It's almost impossible for me not to turn this one on if I see it on the channel guide.

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark - This is an almost perfect film, with probably my favorite John Williams score. Most movies are lucky to contain one memorable set piece. I can think of multiple ones here (the temple in the opening scene, the Well of the Souls, the airplane duel, opening the Ark). I never get tired of watching this one.

1. E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial - If I'm lucky enough to know when my time on Earth is drawing to a close, I would choose to watch this before I move on. A movie I watched at least 4-5 times when I was five years old and many more times afterwards. How Spielberg got these performances out of child actors is a minor miracle. A special movie that resonates more and more as I get older.

Why Widow's Bay Works

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Widow's Bay is one of the year's most compelling experiences on TV. The show has been such an interesting watch for me because the main characters have acted in ways that have defied expectations. It's a horror show positioned as more of a hangout comedy.

Start with Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), who is presented initially as our gateway to the town and people of Widow's Bay. However, he doesn't serve as a traditional protagonist. Over the course of the first eight episodes, he has run terrified from all of the island creatures, rebuffed a potential love interest, and stumbled through psychedelic-mushroom hijinks we mostly don't get to see. Not quite the hero's journey.

At the beginning, I presumed Patricia (Kate O'Flynn) would mostly serve as a foil for the Mayor. However, her evolution over the series has been the most interesting because she has quietly become the show's main protagonist. She is overbearing, sometimes caustic, but has slowly grown into the series' final girl. The first Patricia-focused episode, Beach Reads, was a highlight. In the eighth episode, Your Baggage, her meticulous method of dealing with the Bogeyman (lighting him on fire, monitoring his corpse until it is disposed of) should be a case study for other heroines on how to properly deal with a homicidal maniac.

Many of us are familiar with Stephen Root for comedy. That's why it's intriguing to see him play Wyck totally straight. I keep waiting for a comedic pratfall or aside from him that never comes. What could have been a traditional salty old sailor role has become more sympathetic as we see him struggle with his personal demons alongside the literal ghosts haunting the town.

Add a compelling supporting cast (is there more in store for Jeff Hiller's Dale? What's the backstory for Kathy, the most hated restaurant worker on the island?) and memorable guest appearances (Betty Gilpin, Hamish Linklater), and I find myself coming to the series not so much for the mystery of the island but to see the unpredictable ways our characters will confront that mystery.

Over the Mississippi